Sheet-metal sectional cabinet.



W. 0. GOTTWALS. SHEET METAL SECTIONAL CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, I917- Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET] W. 0. GOHWALS. SHEET METAL SECTIONAL CABINET.

' APPLICATION HL'ZD (iii-5.1917. 1,294,087., Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

3-SHEETSSHEEI 2.

affozucq W. 0. GOTTWALS. SHEET METAL SECTIQNAL CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5.1917- Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHE 3.

SHEET-METAL SECTION'AL CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. ii, ieia.

Application filed October 5, 1917. Serial No. 194,981.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. Gore- WALS, a citizen of the United States, residing atWashington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Metal Sectional Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the manufacture of sheet metal sectional cabinets consisting of counterpart sections adapted to be assembled and detachably secured together in such number and arrangement of sections as is most convenient for the user, andcapable of being added to and increased in number as may be required. a

In the manufacture of such sections of sheet metal difiiculty is experlenced in pro ducing the sections of exactly the same dimensions so that without difiicult they W111 correspond witheach other and t together as described, and my invention relates to' such a cabinet, and to the mode of manufacture of the sections thereof, in which such difliculties are overcome and the sections are, with economy --of labor and material, produced of uniformly exact dimensions, th invention also comprising means by which the sections are detachably secured together.

I will describe the invention in connection with an illustration of a cabinet which propigeon-holes formed by the sections shown are about six inches wide and four inches high and seventeen inches deep, and are suitable for a standard size of card index drawers, but the dimensions of the pigeon holes may be varied, another larger convenient. size 'beingseventeen and one-half incheswide and eleven inches high, which is approximately a standard size for legal vertical files.

., The present invention is not concerned with the construction and supporting means of the drawers, but my invention is well "adapted for the application of the usual or improved extension slides and other drawerguiding and supporting means, with more economy than intheusual constructions of sectional cabinets. The invention is also adapted for the production of library sections without changing the principle of the invention and by merely making the sections of the proper width and depth in proportion to the height.

With such objects in view,.as well as other advantages which may be incident to the use of the improvement, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the uhderstanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportions and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical efi'ect, without limiting the improvements, in their useful applications, to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration. In the said drawings i Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front portion of a cabinet, consisting of four sections, the same illustrating and embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of "an end por-' ing the first bending operation.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the sec-- ond bending operation.

Fig. 4 is a slmilar view showing the interior stiffening and frame member inserted.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sheets after the formation of the box-like end portions, and after the insertion of the frame and stiffening members, and after the sawing operation.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the front portion of such a sheet after the final bending operation.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on line VIIVII of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 8 is a similar view on line VIIIVIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a perspective View illustrating the elements forming a corner connection be-. tween different sections.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line XX of Fig. 8. 4

Fig. 11 is an end view of two angle pieces, for two contiguous sections, united together, when said sections are side by side.

Fig. 12 is a similar view showingthe arrangement when said two sections are one over the other.

Fig. 13 is a similar view showing the arrangement when the inner corners of four sections are to be united together.

Fig. 14 is a similar view of a single angle piece, the same representing a finish at a corner of a section which corner is not to be united with another section.

Fig. 15 is a perspective View of a' portion of the frame and stiffening member.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the interior connecting member which fits within the member shown in Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a portion of the longitudinal member.

' Figs. 18, 19 and 20 are perspective views illustrating the method and construction in which the body is formed from a single. sheet of metal; also the formation of a retaining groove for the back plate. i. a Figs. 21 to 25 illustrate a modification of the corner securing means for uniting sections together, wherein the angle pieces are attached to the sections and the corner keys are attached to each other.

Referring to thedrawings, 1 indicates a sheet of metal of suflicient dimension from front to rear, that is to say from the upper to the lower side of Fig. 5 to extend for the depth of the section. and of suliicient dimension, from the right to the left of said figure to constitute one-half of the.

perimeter of the section. Such sheet of metal will therefore form one-half of one pigeon-hole or section, including one-half of the top, 0 :e of the vertical sides and onehalf of the bottom. The front and rear edges of said sheet are first formed with bends 2 and flanges 3, as indicated at one of the edges of the sheet in Fig. 2, this operation being performed by suitable bending tools or dies. The flange 3 is then formed into a box like form, 4 (Fig. 3) by the aid of upper and lower dies 5 and 6 and internal mandrel 7, these instrumentalities flanges, to fit Within the box like portions 7 4, and I then drive the members 8 into the said box like portions wherein they extend I from end to end of the latter and fit within the same as indicatedin Fig. 4.

The said sheet of metal is then'placed on 7 the saw table and I cut through the box like portion down to the top surface of the flange '3 with two saw cuts 9 across each portion 4 to produce a structure such as is shown in Fig. 5. This structure is then bent, by suit- 8 able bending tools or dies, into the form indicated in Fig. 6, so as to form one-half of a section. Two of such half-sections are then brought together and connecting members'lO, formed as shown in Fig. 16, are 8.

driven into the horizontal box like portion 4, so as to extend across the meeting vertical plane of the same and securely unlte the two half-sections at top and bottom, the

said connection, in the case of the top por- 94 tion of the section being indicated in Fig. 7 It will be understood that each member 10 is of such cross sectional dimension as to fit tightly Within thernember 8, and of such length as not to extend to the outer ends of 91 the portions y It will be understood that before the halfsections are united, and each is in the condition shown in Fig. 6 it may very conveniently be provided on the inner sides of the vertical wall or in or on the bottom wall, with such-attachments or slots aS are necessary for the extensionslides' or other drawerguiding and supporting instrumentalities, and any slot or cut for such purpose may conveniently be formed when the half-section is in the form shown in Fig. 5.

Longitudinal members 11 (Fig. 17) are employed to permanently unite the two halfsections. These members are formed with flanges 12, one of which flanges fits upon one-half section while the other flange fits upon the other half-section, and said flanges are securely united with the half-sections in any suitable manner, preferably byspotwelding at the points indicated at 13 in Fig. 17. The flanges 12 are slightly bent at 14 to fit over the edges of the flanges 3 (Figs. 7 and 17). It may be here stated which latter, as will be understood, have previously been combined with thebox-like elements 4 of the section. The extensions 16 may be driven horizontally into the horizontal members let the tops and bottoms of the sections, as shown in Fig. 8, in which case the outer and lower corner of each member 15 is united with the vertical memher 4 by gas welding at the'points indicated by 17 in Fig. 8. When so driven into place the extension 16 may abut against or approach the ends of the members 10, as seen in said figure. It will be understood however that the extensions 16 may be driven vertically into the vertical ,members l and the upper inner cornersv of the members 15 Welded to the outer ends of the horizontal members 4. l

18 indicates the members or angle pieces which are arranged in longitudinal alinement with the members 15 S6 as to form a part of said securing means. The members 18 are provided with flanges 19 which fit on the corners of the complete section but are not necessarily united thereto. The angle pieces 18 are united together in pairs, as seen in Figs. 11 and 12, which union may be effected by gas welding along the contiguous faces at 19'. Where the corners of four sections are to be united the arrangement is or may be such as shown in Fig. 13 where four of the said angle pieces are united together.

The angle pieces 18 are used in the assembling of the sections together to forrna cabinet, and are fitted upon the corners of the sections and are brought into alinement with their respective corner pieces 15, and keys 20 (Fig. 9) inserted, which keys will pass entirely through the members $15 and enter a suflicient distance within the ends of the angle-pieces 18. The dimensions of the keys are such that they will have a close fit within the said members but will not be so tight that they cannot be conveniently extracted by means of their heads 21,'by which latter they may be pried out so as to .vary the ar- -rangement of the sections as may be desired.

At any corner ofa section where there is no connection with another section, for instance at the four corners of the completed cabinet, single angle pieces 18 (Fig. 14) are or may be used as a finish and will be held in place by keys 20. q

l may here state that while'l have illustrated (referring for example to Figs. 5 and 6) the manufacture of the section .in two parts, it may have its four walls and their hollow strengthening bars- 4 made from a single sheet of metal, without any change in principle. In such case the sheet shown in Fig. 5 will be made enough longer to form the entire four walls of the section, Fig. 18 with its front and rear box-like spacing and strengthening bars 4-, and two more cuts 9 will be made across the latter, one cut for each of the four corners, so that the middle part of the sheet will constitute the top wall of the section, the next contiguous parts will be the vertical side walls, and the end portions of the sheet will each form one half of the bottom, the meeting line of said ends being as shown in Fig. 19.

The provision of the flanges 3, left uncut and continuous around the corners, is

important, as they serve to hold down the hollow bars 4 for the entire lengths of their inner edges and confine them regularly and evenly against the walls of the section, whether the section be made of one sheet or of two sheets; for it will be understood that the flanges 3 are stressed and pressed in bending and forming the section.

While I have described the longitudinal connecting members 18- as attached together (Figs 11 to 13), it will be understood that said members may be omitted and the keys 20 may be attached together in pairs, side by side Fig. 24 to unitersections that are side by side,vor one above the other to unite sections so related, and such union between the sections will be eflected by merely inserting such united keys within the box-like corner pieces 15. Or, the corner pieces 18 may be employed with their front and rear ends merely extended beyond the flanges 19 Fig. 22 to form or take the place of the said parts 15,'and after the said extended ends have been welded in the corners 'of the sections as allgeady described the sections may be connected together by inserting the said double or quadruple keys Fig. 25- into the said extended ends of the parts 18. The use of the longitudinal members 18 is more important where the sections are of relatively. large dimensions, as they serve to spaceand support the sections along their longitudinal corners.

In order to removably hold the said keys I ploy springs 22 secured to the corner pieces a 15 and having at their free ends pins 23 which enter holes 24 in the keys, Fig. 9.

The described construction of sheet metal cabinet sections is veryconvenient for the securing within the sections of back pieces 25', Figs. 19 and 20. In forming the sheet, as indicated in Figs. 2 to 5, grooves 26 may be pressed outwardly parallel with and near to the rear ends of the sections, and as the section is brought into its final shape, whether it be made of one sheet or two planes, and bending the sheet at right angles on longitudinal lines at said planesand thereby forming the corners of the section,

the hollow bars extending on the top, bottom and sides of the front and rear ends of the section.

2. The herein described method of forming sheet metal sections for cabinets, which consists in .bending a sheet of metal along itsfront and rear edges to form hollow bars, inserting stiffening members in said bars, cutting across said bars and the stiffening members on longitudinal planes, and bending the sheet at right angles on longitudinal lines at said planes and thereby forming the corners of the section.

3. The herein described method of forming sheet metal sections for'cabinets, which consists in bending a sheet of metal alongits front and rear edges to form hollow bars with base flanges lying on said sheet, cutting across said bars on longitudinal planes and leaving uncut said base flanges, and bending the sheet and said base flanges at right angles on longitudinal lines at said planes and thereby forming the corners of the section.

4. The herein described method of forming sheet metal sections for cabinets, which consists in bending a sheet of metal along its front and rear edges to form hollow bars, cutting across said. bars on longitudinal planes, and bending the sheet at right angles on longitudinal lines at said planes andthereby forming the corners of the section with angular spaces at the points of said cutting, and then attaching securing members in said angular spaces whereby such sections may be connected together for the building up of a cabinet.

5. A cabinet section formed of a sheet of metal bent around at the corners of the section, the front and rear edges of the section being formed with hollow spacing bars, and securing means attached to the sect-ion in the gngular corner spa'ces'at the ends of said ars.

6. ,In a sectional cabinet, the combination of a plurality of sheet metal sections, the metal of each section being bent at the corners of the section on longitudinal'lines, and being bent at the front and rear of the section on horizontal and vertical lines to form horizontal and vertical hollow bars, said sections being fitted together to form a cabinet with said hollow bars in mutual engagement.

7. In a sectional cabinet, the combination of a plurality of sheet metalsections having their edges folded and thereby forming horizontal and vertical marginal enlargements and angular spaces at the corners, and fitted together lwithv said enlargements in mutual contact, connecting means fitting the corners of the sections, and keys arranged in said corner spaces and engaging said con necting means.

8. In a sectional cabinet, the combination of a pluralit of sheet metal sections having their edges olded and enlarged and thereby forming horizontal and vertical hollow bars and angular spaces at the corners, hollow corner pieces secured in said corner spaces and secured each to its own section, hollow connecting corner bars secured to each other and arranged along the corners of the sections in line with said corner pieces, and

keys engaging said corner pieces and said,

corner bars and uniting said sections to form a cabinet.

9. In a sectional cabinet, the combination of a plurality of sheet metal sections, the

metal of each section being bent at the cornew of the section on longitudinal lines, and being bent at the front and rear of the section on horizontal and verticallines to form horizontal and vertical hollow bars and stiffening members inserted in said hollow bars, said sections being fitted together to form a cabinet with said hollow bars in mu tua-l engagement. I

10. In a sectional cabinet, the combination of a plurality of sheet metal sections, the metal of each section being bent at the corners of the section On longitudinal lines with ends of the metal abutting to form a joint, and being bent at the front and rear of the section on horizontal and vertical lines to form horizontal and vertical hollow bars, and connecting members inserted in said hollow bars and extending across the said joint, said sections being fitted together to form a cabinet with said hollow bars in mulongitudinal corner recesses of the section.

12. A cabinet section formed of a sheet of metal bent around at the corners of the section, the front and rear edges of the section being formed with hollow spacing bars and inwardly extending flanges 3, the hollow bars being cut across and said flanges being continuous and bent at the corners, and se-. curing means attached to the section in the angular corner spaces at the ends of said 5 bars.

13. In a sectional cabinet, thecombination of a plurality of separatesections, hollow angle pieces arranged at the corners of the sections and havingflanges embracing said 10 corners, the contiguous angle pieces being united to each other, and means for detachably connecting the angle pieces each to the section which 1t embraces.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM O. Witnesses:

N. OUR-ms LAMMOND, H. N. Low. 

